Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin is cooked in a decadent glaze that combines the earthy taste of rosemary with the tangy flavor of vinegar and a little kick of garlic. This filling and flavorful meal goes so well with a light salad and a glass of wine.
Looking for more pork tenderloin recipes? Try this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin. It’s always a hit!
Juicy & Flavorful Roasted Pork Tenderloin
No other cut of pork can hold a candle to pork tenderloin when it comes to soaking up flavor. Since it’s such a thin cut, the rich and deep flavors of spicy garlic, earthy rosemary and tangy balsamic vinegar really get a chance to shine. The glaze also helps ensure that the delicate meat stays nice and tender.
This pork tenderloin is great for a quick meal because it has a built-in side dish. Not only do you get the sumptuous meat, but it also comes with potatoes that are cooked right there in the same pan! This saves time and means the potatoes will be packed with flavor.
Pork Loin vs Pork Tenderloin
Although pork loin and pork tenderloin might sound pretty much the same, there’s a world of difference in those six extra letters! Pork loin is a much thicker cut of meat. This means it takes longer to cook and needs more time to marinate before the flavor can really sink in. We use pork tenderloin in this recipe because it is quicker, more tender, and fully soaks up the flavors of the glaze.
What You’ll Need
Roasted pork tenderloin is easy to make with only a handful of ingredients you probably already have sitting around your kitchen. The glaze can be whipped up in no time at all, and the oven does the rest of the work!
- Pork Tenderloin: Never substitute other cuts.
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Garlic: Whole cloves, crushed.
- Rosemary
- Salt
- Pepper: Freshly ground is best.
- Red Potatoes: Cut into quarters.
How to Make Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Fifteen minutes is all you need to get this dish assembled and ready for the oven. Follow these easy steps for perfectly cooked tenderloin and potatoes.
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Prep Your Materials: Use cooking spray to lightly grease a roasting pan, then place your pork inside.
Assemble the Glaze: Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, rosemary leaves, salt and pepper in your food processor for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should thicken into a paste.
Glaze the Pork: Cover the meat on all sides using 3/4 of the glaze. Pop it into the oven for 10 minutes, flipping the meat halfway through to make sure it browns evenly on both sides.
Prep the Potatoes: While the pork is cooking, cut the potatoes into quarters. Spread the rest of the rub onto the potatoes.
Add the Potatoes: After the 10 minutes are up, take the pan out of the oven and reduce the heat to 450°F. Place the potatoes around the pork and cook for another 45 minutes. The potatoes should be tender and the pork should read at least 145°F on your meat thermometer.
Let it Cool: Give the pan 10 minutes to rest. This not only lets the meat cool, but it also allows the flavors to really sink into the pork and potatoes.
Serve: Move the meat from the pan to a cutting board. Cut it into quarter or half-inch slices and serve it with the potatoes.
How to Tell When Pork is Done
Since it can be hard to tell if meat is cooked all the way through just by looking at it, the best way to tell when your pork tenderloin is done is to use a meat thermometer. Instant read digital thermometers are easy to use and give you quick results.
Tips for Success
Pork tenderloin is a thin cut of meat that can be tricky to cook perfectly. Follow the tips below to get it just right every time.
- Cover the Pork: Covering the pan with tin foil after adding the potatoes can stop the steam from escaping and result in a juicier pork tenderloin. However, doing this can make the potatoes less crispy. It’s really up to you to decide whether to cover the pan or not.
- Score the Tenderloin: Before adding the glaze, try making small cuts or scores across the top of your pork. This helps the meat stay tender and absorb more flavor.
- Allow the Meat to Rest: Giving the pork tenderloin time to rest both before and after it’s roasted will also help it stay tender and absorb the flavors more deeply. The resting time after cooking is especially important to lock in the juices.
Serving Suggestions
Since this pork tenderloin already has a built-in side dish, any other sides should stay light. This refreshing Cabbage Cucumber Salad has a light dressing and brings the bright crunch of fresh greens. You could also try pairing balsamic roasted pork tenderloin with this Classic Southern Coleslaw. Whatever side dish you choose, keeping the flavors subtle will help balance the richness and depth of the tenderloin.
Storage and Reheating
When people finally finish their second (or even third!) helpings, roasted and cooled pork tenderloin should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure to eat it within the next 4 days. You will get the best results if you don’t cut the leftovers into slices. This will help to keep the pork from drying out.
When you’re ready to dig back in, microwave the tenderloin in a covered plastic container or use the oven to warm it through. You can also use the stove if you want to give it a light sear. If you saved any of the glaze or the juices from the pan, pour them on before reheating to add more flavor and keep the meat tender.
Can I Freeze This?
Though roasted pork tenderloin can lose some of its tenderness and flavor after being frozen, there are ways you can make this less of an issue. The flavor and texture will keep for 3-6 months in the freezer. If you can pull together some of the glaze and pour it on the meat before reheating, you’ll feel almost like you’re eating this dish baked fresh all over again.
If you have multiple meals’ worth of pork left, try to freeze them separately. Don’t cut each portion into slices just yet, though. Keeping as much of the meat whole as possible will stop it from drying out when you reheat it. Wrap each meal-sized portion in plastic wrap or foil before freezing it, and make sure to let it thaw for a few hours or overnight before cooking it again.
Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork tenderloin
- 1/4- cup STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons STAR Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
- 10 garlic cloves smashed
- 1/2- cup fresh rosemary leaves
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 2 pounds small red potatoes washed and quartered
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a roasting pan with cooking spray; place pork loin in roasting pan and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, rosemary leaves, salt and pepper; process for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thickened, and the consistency is that of a wet paste.
- Spread 3/4 of the rub on all sides of the meat. Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes. Turn half way through cooking for even browning.
- In the meantime, prepare the potatoes by combining them with the remaining of the rub.
- Remove roasting pan from oven; reduce oven to 350°F.
- Place prepared potatoes around the meat. Put back in the oven and continue to cook for 45 minutes, or until cooked through and potatoes are tender. Pork is done cooking when internal temperature is between 145°F and 160°F.
- Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer roast to a cutting board; slice and serve with potatoes.
Equipment
- Oven
Video
Notes
- To Store: Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, tin foil, or a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
- To Reheat: Microwave in a covered container or heat over the stove or in the oven until warmed through. If frozen, let the meat thaw for a few hours or overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Categories:
More Flavorful Pork Recipes
This dish is a rich and flavorful way to make pork tenderloin, but there’s so much more you can do with this little cut! Check out the recipes below to find great pork tenderloin recipes for any occasion.
My family loved this recipe. It was so simple but the taste was extraordinary, this is going to be a regular in our household now.
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m very glad you and your family loved it! Thank YOU! 🙂
So good! I added sugar snap peas & green beans.
This was delicious. My son asked who had catered dinner. I made it on a weeknight so I took a few short cuts. I used canned whole potatoes in place of the red potatoes. I chopped the garlic and shook in a glass jar to save on the clean up. I left the potatoes in the oven and added a little butter to mellow the sauce while the pork rested.
Very good and easy! Tip for anyone who had trouble with the potatoes: the ones pictured in the recipe look quite small. Mine were larger so I cut into smaller pieces and also parboiled for 5 mins. I also parboiled some carrots for 10 mins and added to the roasting pan. And instead of roasting at two temps, I seared the tenderloin until golden on all sides before baking at 350 for the recommended time. Everything came out perfect and it was an impressive dish for entertaining.
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
The potatoes were undercooked after 45 mins. Had to cook them for an additional 20 minutes. Took the pork out when the thermometer read 150 at 30 minutes. Used tenderloins. Pork was dry. Tasted bitter and not good. Do not recommend this recipe at all.
Hi, can you substitute regular pork chops for this recipe?
Wow!! Very tasty and juicy! I seared mine in a hot frying pan for about 2 minutes on each side, then put it in the oven (with coated potatoes) @350* for 45 minutes. Potatoes were cooked all the way through and the meat was very tasty! I’d did cover with aluminum foil while cooking. I will definitely make this again.
The pork was ready way before the potatoes so we ate in stages. I found it was too much rosemary. Potatoes should go in at the beginning and not start with such a hot oven.
I was looking for a pork loin recipe and came across this. Although it calls for tenderloin I went ahead and used my pork loin and followed the directions except I doubled the amount of sauce (great idea). The flavor was all there and potatoes were done perfectly. The garlic wasnt overbearing at all. My only slight complaint was that the meat was dry. I’ll try covering it for the 50 minutes next time. Good recipe overall.
Dry meat… yeah, 15 minutes at 450 then another 50 minutes at 350 is way too much cooking time.
I’ve made this recipe at least a dozen times already. I’ve baked it, slow cooked it over the grill and also in the slow cooker. Doesn’t matter how you cook, it’s all in the flavor. Delicious every time!
Hi
I was thinking of slow cooking in crock pot. Did you follow exactly?
Did you cook on low?
Thanks!
I’m intrigued by this recipe but the 10 cloves of garlic scares me. Do you really love garlic or is it really not that strong?
Amazing easy recipe! Great for dinner party!
Hi:
Made this pork and it was very good but just wanted to ask what do I need to do to have the sauce they have in the video… mine didn’t have any sauce..
TIA!
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are two different cuts. I was looking for loin recipes and this one came up. Perhaps you’ll want to change the name of your recipe.
Did anyone else have an issue with the potatoes not being done all the way? When the 50 minutes was up I had to re up the temp to 450 to finish both the meat and potatoes
The title of this recipe is misleading. Pork loin and pork tenderloin are two entirely different things.
Agreed! Very different cuts of meat. That being said, maybe the potatoes would cook through with a pork loin?
I’m cooking 1lb rather than 2. How would you suggest I adjust the cooking time?
We are thinking of making this on Christmas Day but my family wants mashed potatoes instead. What would be the cooking temp / time for just the loin? Thanks!
Hi there, I followed the directions as you posted but the meat came out dry. Have I over cooked the meat? If so how long? I used 2 lbs of meat and cook the total time of 55 min.
Bases on reading this comment, I checked the temperature about 20 minutes early, the temperature was 160°F. II took it out of the oven immediately and it was not dry, it was moist and delicious. I believe the article does state To gage doneness by temperature and not time.
Can you use chicken instead of pork?
If so what would work best? And how long to cook it?
It’s frustrating that this recipe is listed as a “Pork Loin” recipe but it actually calls for a pork tenderloin. Those are very different cuts of meat. You might want to consider renaming this recipe so it is not misleading.
I didn’t see it in the recipe but do you cover the pan while baking the balsamic pork loin ?
Hi! No, you don’t need to cover it – I never have. However, I do see some commenters here that did cover theirs and then uncovered it for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
ok thanks Katerina
Hi! Is the calorie count per se4ving with or without the potatoes?
Thanks,
Henriette
It includes both, potatoes and meat. A serving of small red potatoes is about 1 cup which equals around 150 calories.
Beautiful roast.
Would the potatoes be good cooked & frozen along with the tenderloin or would it be best to fix the potatoes the night you decide to eat the pork tenderloin? My guess would be fix night of, but want to get y’all’s thoughts. Thanks, this looks so delicious. Can’t wait to try it.
Potatoes do NOT freeze well, boiled or roasted. They get mealy. (Remember if you’re making vegetable soup.)
My family doesn’t care for rosemary. Is there another herb (thyme?) I could use?
Hi! Yeah, thyme would be great! Or any other herb that you like.
Thyme and terragon would be really great. My family also doesn’t care for rosemary.
Can this be frozen?
Hi! Yes, just place the cooked pork tenderloin in a container and cover the container tightly with a lid. Place the pork into the freezer for up to two months.
Don’t have fresh rosemary.. can I use dried?
Sure! For every 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, you will want to use 1 teaspoon of dried.
I made this yesterday, was having friends over for dinner.. I actually mixed it up early in the day and marinaded the pork loin in it for 5 hours. Then baked it.. It was delicious.. My company loved it as well as my husband. It was a very impressive looking meal with minimal work.. Thanks for sharing..
Very nice indeed, I did it yesterday and it was very yummy!
I add few drops of dark honey and cooked only for 15′ but this because my fillet was on the flat side.
Definitely it will stay in my book. Thank you!
Does it have to be that brand of vinegar You mentioned is thicker. Is it ok to use any brand/kind of balsamic vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is what you should use because it’s a little thicker … other brands have the exact one.
It’s pork tenderloin isn’t it? Thx.
Hi Martin! Yep, it’s pork tenderloin.
Hats off to this lady for the pork loin recipe. My ‘two cents worth’ is I am available for adoption, and I can cook, too.
This pork loin came out FANTASTIC!!! It was moist and full of flavor. My pork loin was about twice the size, and I had a few more potatoes than the recipe said. In fact I used little baby dutch potatoes and just cut them in half. I doubled the rub so I would have enough for the whole pork loin and for the potatoes. I had to cook the pork for about a half hour longer, but again, my pork loin was twice the size. Served a Caesar salad to complete this wonderful meal.
I wanted to say thank you so much for this awesome recipe! I tried it last week for the first time and my husband and I both loved it. We in fact loved it so much I am going to make it again tonight! The leftover pork is great sliced really thin and put in sandwiches 🙂
Hi Stephanie! I am SO happy to hear that!! Thank youuuu! ♥
i was curiius is it possible to cook 2 pork loins like this in one . if so how would the ingridence be effected?
Hi! What is the amount of meat in weight? Is it 4+ pounds? If that’s the case, I would just double everything because, the recipe above is for a piece that is around 2 pounds. I hope this helps. Thank you! 🙂
I made this for our Christmas dinner and everyone loved it. The only thing I did differently was to pan seared the pork before baking it to ensure it had a nice golden brown color. I will definitely make it again. Thank you!!
Just tried this for our Christmas meal, celebrated a day early. I had to make slight modifications based on what I had available, including using a different cut of pork. This roast was fabulous! I knew it was going to be great because my house smelled heavenly after just 30 minutes of cooking! Though I had to cook it longer because of my cheap cut, it was wonderful! I did add carrots to the potatoes and I’ll do that again next time – which I can guarantee will be very soon. I can’t imagine how wonderful it will taste with fresh garlic and fresh rosemary! Six out of six loved this and it made my house smell so good. Thank you!
Has anyone tried this in the crock pot? I had pinned this as a crock pot recipe based on the title of a previous pinned. But now reading through I see that’s not the intention. Hoping to hear that it will still work. Thanks!
Hi Erin! I would just arrange the potatoes on the bottom of the crock pot; prepare the pork loin with the seasonings and balsamic-rub as suggested in the recipe; place the meat over the potatoes, cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. I hope this helps!
I can’t seem to find the balsamic vinegar on the ingredient list….how much is used?
Hi Alyssa! I’m sorry about that – it should say 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Not sure how it disappeared from the list up there, but thanks so much for letting me know!
Do you recommend marinating the pork at all before placing in the oven? Thank you!
Made this tonight but used fig infused balsamic vinegar. It was AMAZING! Best pork loin I have ever had.
Made the pork tenderloin last night and it was absolutely DELISH!!! Thanks for sharing!
YAAAY!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Quick follow up to my original comment.
HOT DAMN, THAT’S TASTY!!!!
Can’t tell you how happy I am to know that it kind of all worked out in the end!! 😀
You know, the darker brown color could have been because of the brand of balsamico that you used. They all come in the same color of course, but some are a deeper purple, others are lighter. Just a guess.
In as far as the cooking time, gosh, I really don’t know. Because I blog my recipes, I have an oven thermometer so to make sure that I’m giving out the most precise information, but because all ovens are different, it’s also the reason why I say to use a meat thermometer and remove only once the desired temperature has been reached. I try, I really do try. So sorry if it caused you any headaches! :-/
Have a wonderful day!!
I had two issues with this recipe, though they may be my fault.
First, I used 1.5 packages for a total of 3 individual loins. I cooked them in the same roasting pan so I had to cook the potatoes in a separate roasting pan due to lack of space. Whether or not this is related, I don’t know but the cooking time took way, way less. The loin were at room temp, or just about, when they went in at 450. 15 minutes later, when I put the potatoes in the oven and lowered the temp to 350, they were almost done as the roasting thermometer I put into the largest one was already at 140.
15 minutes later they were all topping 160 in the oven so I had to pull them.
The second issue I had was that they were rather unappealing to look at. They were this dull brown on the outside. Maybe this was due to how quick it took to cook them but they looked nasty, nothing at all like the image above. I had to give them all a few minutes in a hot skillet to give them some color.
Haven’t tasted them as these will be my meals for the week. Once the potatoes are cooked and everything is cooled I’ll portion them out and toss them in the fridge.
I had a similar problem with this recipe. I think it’s in the steps–the pictures are not the result of the actual recipe printed. I don’t think the olive oil mixture in the photos was pureed for 2-3 minutes. Rather just mixed until everything chopped a little. The paste looks awful and smells like mustard! Also I think it would be better to cook the potatoes first at 450 for 15 minutes then put the meat in the pan at 350 for the remaining time. Roasted potatoes take longer to cook. In my dinner last night the potatoes weren’t cooked all the way and the meat was a little over but still very tender. I think the flavor and everything would be better that way. I may try it again another time, but the way it’s written I was also disappointed.
Do you cover this when you return to the oven?
Hi Martha! No, it doesn’t need to be covered.
Is this meant to be made using a tenderloin or a boneless loin roast? I read it as a loin roast, but the pics look like two tenderloins… I’d imagine the cooking time would be pretty different, yes? Just want to make sure before I make a loin only to discover it isn’t cooked through if these directions are really for tenderloins! Thanks.
Hi Christine!! Yes, it should be boneless. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Just to clarify you mean 2 boneless pork loin roasts or 2 pork tenderloins?? Thanks!
Hi Lisa!! Yes, boneless pork loin is right. Thank you!!
I used boneless pork tenderloins, the package came with two individual loins. I would however suggest to season the potatoes with with some garlic slices when you put it in the oven. The first time i made this recipe the potatoes were a little too blan for my likeing
I don’t have a “roasting pan” 🙁
What can I use instead?
Just now fresh from the oven and it is wonderful. Followed the recipe exactly. Read the recipe and knew it would be spot on. Perfection. Many thanks.
I followed the recipe and created a paste that I rubbed on the pork but it didn’t roast up like the pictures and when the pork was done the paste wasn’t crisped it was still a partially paste. Not sure what I did because I followed the recipe exactly as written. My rosemary and garlic were completely ground up by the food processor whereas in the pictures the rosemary looks like whole leaves.
Hi Marla!!
I have no idea what could have gone wrong. :-/
So the paste didn’t finish cooking in a 450F oven? That’s a pretty high temp, and the only thing I would suggest is maybe leaving it in there for a few minutes longer, or until the paste sets. Did it taste pasty? And was everything cooked thoroughly, except for the paste? Let me know at your earliest convenience. Thank you!!
My boyfriend loved this! Can’t go wrong feeding an Italian anything with rosemary, garlic and balsamic. Thank you so much for sharing this super easy and delicious recipe, we’ve been enjoying it immensely!
YAAAAY!!! SO happy you both enjoyed it!! THANK YOU!
I have made this for the last 4 yrs at Christmas and add some dark brown sugar. My family raves over this! You are right – rosemary, garlic & balsalmic!
🙂
I’m very glad everyone enjoys it! Thank you so much! 🙂
I have been searching for about 2 hours for your recipe for cabatata bread. Can’t find it!!!!!! Please send it to me or post on next installment of Diethood. Thanks. Liz Davis
Hi Liz!! I have a recipe for a skillet bread. Is that the one you’re looking for? You can find that recipe right here: https://diethood.com/rosemary-garlic-no-knead-skillet-bread/
Or maybe the Focaccia bread recipe: https://diethood.com/whole-wheat-focaccia-bread/
I hope that helps!
This would make the best quick dinner! Not too many ingredients or prep time. Perfect!
Hi Laura!! Happy to “hear” from you! 😀 Have a very Merry Christmas!
What an awesome recipe. It looks so moist and tasty. I bet the vinegar makes the pork really tender!
This. Looks. Incredible! I can’t get over the gorgeous color on that roast!
I am all about the one pan meals, this looks awesome! I am able to pass pork off as chicken and then my kids will eat it 😉
This seriously looks like the best pork ever!!!
Ahhh BravoTV…gotta get my trashy drama in somewhere because I don’t want the drama in my life! And loving the flavor of this pork because how can you go wrong with potaties, garlic, rosemary and balasmic?!
Looks incredible, Kate! I want to dive into that plate right now!!
Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite healthier comfort foods, and this looks absolutely delicious! The combination of rosemary and balsamic sounds so good!
You had me with the rosemary, meat, and potatoes.
This looks AMAZING! Your photos are making me drool!
I’m with you! It doesn’t get better than simple food in one pan! This looks really delish! Pinning 🙂